*Special Order
“It’s very hard to go wrong with an LA-2A. It just has that sound.” - Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Jónsi)
"The reissue sounds just as good, I swear, and has become a daily-used tool at my studio. Vocals are reigned in without getting all squashed, bass evens out in the nicest way, guitars sound fuller.." - Larry Crane, Tape Op
"It's easy to dial in great sounds with the LA-2A. Operation is so straightforward you'd have to be in a coma to get stumped. The LA-2A's uniquely transparent processing makes it incredibly effective for treating vocals. When you need to warm up a piercing or thin vocal and smooth its uneven dynamics, the LA-2A can work miracles. It also sounds awesome on bass guitar and, for a certain type of sound, on kick drum. And did I mention that it looks beautiful, too? If I were a mutant, I'd give the LA-2A three thumbs up!" - Michael Cooper, Mix Magazine
True to the original design, UA’s famed tube-amplified T4 electro-optical compressor.
For over 50 years the Teletronix LA-2A has been revered for its smooth, natural, musical compression. WIth its unique tube-driven electro-optical attenuator system that allows instantaneous gain reduction with no increase in harmonic distortion, the LA-2A massages signals like no other compressor ever made.
Now You Can:
- Dial-in legendary optical tube compression textures for vocals, bass, drums, and more
- Easily add iconic warmth and tube limiting with simple, easy-to-use controls
- Record your tracks through vintage UA, "handmade in the USA," circuits
- Track and mix with a piece of audio recording history
The Teletronix Story
Teletronix founder Jim Lawrence first used photocells for controlling audio gain in the early 1960s. His ingenious optical compression design was a technological breakthrough, far surpassing the stability and transparency of earlier circuits. Universal Audio founder M.T. ”Bill” Putnam later purchased this patented technology, continuing to manufacture the LA-2A for years to come.
The Real Deal
Universal Audio’s Teletronix LA-2A Classic Leveling Amplifier reissue provides the performance characteristics of the iconic original. With painstaking care, every new LA-2A unit is point-to-point handwired in Scotts Valley, California, with every component carefully evaluated for authenticity. As a result, today’s LA-2A will bring the same legendary compression characteristics of the original to all of your recordings. Demand the original. Accept no copy.
Key Features
True to the original in design, manufacturing and performance
Lag free, distortion free optical attenuator system
Distortion less than 0.5% THD
0 to 40 dB gain limiting
Balanced stereo interconnection
Frequency response 1 dB, 30 to 15,000 cps
Output level of 10 dBm and 40 dB gain
Low noise – less than 70 dB below ±10 dBm output
Technical Specifications
Input Impedance
50, 150, 250, 600 ohms
Output Load Impedance
50, 150, 250, 600 ohms
External Connections
Jones Barrier terminals and XLR connectors
Frequency Response
+0/-1 dB 30 Hz to 15kHz
Gain
40 dB ±1dB
Input Level
+16 dB maximum
Output Level
+10 dB nominal, +16 dB maximum
Distortion
Less than 0.5% THD (0.25% typical) at ±10 dBm
Noise
70 dB below +10 dBm output level
Attack Time
10 microseconds
Release Time
0.06 seconds for 50% release; 0.5 to 5 seconds for complete release
Meter
dB gain reduction and dB output
Power Requirements
35 watts, 120/240 volts, 50/60 Hz
Dimensions
19" Rackmount chassis, 3U
Weight
5.9 kg
